MORRIS PLAINS – The 300 members of the Metropolitan Builders & Contractors Association of New Jersey are taking note that June is National Home Ownership Month.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development each year declares June to be National Home Ownership Month and launches special programs to help people become homeowners. In his proclamation, President Donald Trump called home ownership “an essential element in reaching the American Dream.”

Home ownership creates financial benefits for home owners and their communities. Home owners enjoy about $12 trillion in equity, according to the National Association of Home Builders. The association also says that for every 100 single-family homes built in a typical community, 394 local jobs are created, $28.7 million in local wages and business income is produced and $3.6 million in taxes and other revenue for local government agencies is generated. Simply remodeling a home also brings community benefits: Each $10 million in remodeling expenditures generates 115 local jobs, $8.4 million in local wages and business income, and $710,000 in tax revenue for local governments.

“What’s exciting about the homes we’re building today is how much they’ve changed in the past several years,” said Calinda, president of Millennium Custom Homes. “Today’s homes are designed to fit in better with their environmental surroundings. They are greener, safer, more economical to build and live in and require less maintenance. Homeowners can pick from a variety of styles and settings, ranging from traditional suburban homes to townhomes in walkable communities to urban condominiums. And we continue to innovate and respond to advances in engineering, environmental science and consumer desires.”

Calinda said there’s no time like National Home Ownership Month to become a home owner or to update a home to better match the owner’s lifestyle.

“There are many programs designed to help make homeownership more affordable," said Calinda. And for those who already are home owners, modernizing a home can make it greener and more in keeping with how you’re living.

Calinda said the Metro website, www.metrobca.org, or the office staff can help people start their search for builders, Realtors, architects, remodelers, bankers and others who can help make the dream of homeownership come true, or turn a current home back into a dream home.

Metro is part of the New Jersey Builders Association and the National Association of Home Builders. It's made up of builders, remodelers and the professionals who support them. The organization serves Essex, Morris, Union, Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren counties. Metro can be reached at dougf@metrobca.org or at 973-887-2888.